Tom Kohler-Cadmore joins England ODI squad as Jason Roy opts out

Jason Roy has turned down the chance to play for England's second-string side in their ODI series against Ireland, after the "hammer blow" of his last-minute omission from their final World Cup squad.

With Joe Root opting to rest for the next week along with his colleagues in the World Cup squad, after his plan to tune up with an innings against Ireland was kiboshed by the Leeds weather, the uncapped Somerset batter Tom Kohler-Cadmore has been drafted into the squad to play Ireland.

Roy was named in England's provisional 15-man squad last month but was not fit enough to feature in their four-match ODI series against New Zealand, suffering back spasms on the mornings of two of the four games. He was replaced in the squad on Sunday by Harry Brook.

Luke Wright, England's national selector, said on Monday that Roy had been given "the option of being involved" against Ireland but clarified that his decision would not influence his status as England's "batting reserve at the top of the order" for the World Cup, which would see him on standby at home in the event of an injury to Jonny Bairstow or Dawid Malan.

"He wasn't expecting to be in that Ireland squad and then to get the news that he was missing out on the World Cup all came as a bit of a hammer blow," Wright said. "We've made it apparent to Jason that we won't judge him differently for that position as the spare batter at the top of the order whether he plays against Ireland or not."

Roy signalled before his omission from England's squad that he is unlikely to play international cricket after the World Cup, anticipating a "changing of the guard" after the tournament. He also said that he would be open to a multi-franchise deal with Kolkata Knight Riders, his IPL franchise, having represented their Major League Cricket affiliate LA Knight Riders earlier this year.

England have made clear that they will still consider Roy for selection moving forwards but it appears increasingly likely that he has played his last international innings. He could theoretically leave English cricket entirely, playing in MLC and the Caribbean Premier League rather than the Blast and the Hundred.

Root's decision to rest for the two remaining fixtures in the Ireland series prompted a maiden England call-up for Kohler-Cadmore, who will link up with the squad in Nottingham ahead of Saturday's second ODI. He is currently playing for Somerset in their County Championship fixture against Kent at Taunton, which is due to finish on Friday.

Kohler-Cadmore has impressed across formats in his first season with Somerset, after leaving Yorkshire at the end of last summer. He averaged 34.92 with a strike rate of 160.32 as they won the Blast for the first time since 2005, and is also their second-highest run-scorer in the Championship.

"It feels great to have got the England call and hopefully if I get the chance I can show them what I can do," Kohler-Cadmore said. "Whatever happens, I will enjoy the moment. It's a special week for me at the end of my first season with Somerset which has seen us win the Vitality Blast. I couldn't be happier."

In 2019, Kohler-Cadmore was blacklisted from national selection by the ECB after revelations during the trial of his former Worcestershire team-mate Alex Hepburn - who was jailed for rape - about his involvement in a WhatsApp chat with Hepburn and Joe Clarke, described by a judge as "pathetic" and "sexist".

Kohler-Cadmore was never accused of any criminal wrongdoing and returned to the Lions set-up the following winter.